Appearing overnight

Amongst today’s delights was Simon Armitage, reading mainly poems from his book “Blossonise”, commissioned by the National Trust.

He talked about blossoms appearing overnight. This lesser celandine appeared overnight by the side of the path I walk between my B&B and the Theatre by the Lake.

It was a wonderful hour with him. The poem that affected me most was “The song thrush and the mountain ash”. If you have time please follow the link and read it out loud and slowly to take it all in.

http://www.simonarmitage.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/The-Song-Thrush-and-the-Mountain-Ash-1.pdf

Simon broke down at the end and there were many moist eyes in the house. You will gather that it was written during Covid.

The day started with the Cumbrian Young Writers’ Prize giving for a short story competition. The only people in the audience were children and their proud parents and grandparents. Some of the prize winners were not able to attend, which was a shame.

We heard 3 prize winning entries. Then Tom Palmer, children’s author spoke about his work. I hope he inspired more writers. He was a reluctant reader, but his mother solved the problem with football magazines!

L.J.Ross spoke next. I have never read her books despite her detective stories being set in Northumberland. I was very impressed with her life story and I must read the first book in the series now. (Holy Island)

I will be back later to hear James Rebanks talk about his sojourn in Norway to help Anna, collecting eider down.

What a day!

PS it was poignant for me because I had a cousin who could be visited only with family trips to the window of her care home. She had Parkinson’s and dementia.

Of course the other terrible poignancy is that a year ago, on this Saturday, was the last time I saw my Mum alive as I sat by her hospital bed.